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2 Legionnaire's Cases Reported At Lindenwood, Queens Apartment Complex

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- People who live in a Queens building are worried about their health, after two residents came down with Legionnaire's disease.

As CBS2's Jessica Borg reported Monday, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is testing the building's water supply.

"I'm concerned because I have breathing disorders," said Ellen Carroll.

Carroll is among the residents at the co-op in Lindenwood, Queens, who is worried about possible exposure to Legionnaire's Disease.

The Health Department notified residents in the two buildings on 153rd Avenue that two people who live there were diagnosed with the disease.

One of them was reportedly diagnosed last month, the other nearly a year ago.

"I feel that maybe we should have known about it earlier," said Marcia Lange of Lindenwood, Queens.

This notice was sent out last week, warning residents to take precautions.

"Don't shower because of the mist -- spongebath or bath," one woman said she was told.

Legionnaire's is a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, found in water systems. Health officials said people get sick only by breathing in water vapor containing the bacteria.

The condition can be deadly without medical treatment.

"It's scary," a man said. "You get sick. You get very sick."

The Department of Health is now testing the water in the buildings.

"It's still very early. Everything is preliminary," said Anel Dervisevic of Orsid Realty Corp., building manager for the complex. "They said, you know, mainly cases are developed when you have cooling towers on the roofs. And we don't have that here."

Back on Aug. 29, the Health Department said it was investigating two cases of Legionnaires at a building in Rego Park, Queens. Those two patients were diagnosed six months apart.

The Department did not say if testing confirmed Legionnaire's in the building.

In the cases in Lindenwood, both residents have been released from the hospital.

Heath officials are trying to rule out what the source of the contamination is.

The Health Department said tenants are notified when two or more Legionnaire's cases are reported at a single address within a 12-month period.

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